carter



(No Model.)

B. O. CARTER.

DEGORATED SLATE.

No. 332,050. Patented Dec 8, 1885.

N. PEYERS. Photo-Lithograph, Walhinglo. n. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELI o. CARTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DECORATED SLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,050, dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed August 11, 1885. Serial No. 174,120.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELI G. CARTER, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Slates, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement is intended for use in doctors offices and analogous situations where a high degree of decorative effect is desired. I have discovered that aslab or sheet of ordinary slate, such as is used for writing on with a slate-pencil, forms an admirable surface for decorating in oil-colors or other colors. I have based thereon my improvement in the arts. I take an ordinary tablet of slate, prepare one face by grinding, leaving it in the ordinary condition for marking, paint on the other face decorative figures, adapting it to serve as a parlor or office ornament, and inclose the slate in a frame of wood covered with plush or velvet. I provide means for suspending the decorated slate, and also for conveniently attaching a pencil adapted for marking on the undecorated side.

It is a fact familiar to artists that in order to secure the proper artistic effect in a picture, except miniatures, it is necessary to have the background roughened, to properly receive the colors and to give sufficient boldness to the picture to enable it to be viewed with good effect from a distance, in order to constitute an effective wall-ornament. This result has generally been accomplished by preparing the surfaces of tablets for oil-paintings by giving the same a rough ground or composition of thick body color, as will be seen by an examination of any of the plain canvases or tablets to be found in artists supply stores.

In the production of my improved tablet, to make use of an ordinary slate for ornamenting in oil, it would be necessary to treat one side in a similar manner for the purpose; but I have discovered a far cheaper and more effective method of accomplishing the object, by constructing the tablet with one unfinished side exposed, and the other side dressed and finished for the reception of the pencil-marks. The unfinished grain side not only forms an admirable surface to hold the paint, but it gives the finished picture the requisite boldness in a more effective manner than any surface preparation. Besides, the grain of the (No model.)

slate in almost every instance forms naturally the basis or foundation or outline of designs which may be worked up and followed out by the artist, forming fanciful effects that cannot be otherwise produced. It is well understood how a profile or the like may be obtained from the natural grain of wood at or near a knot by a few strokes of a pencil.

Some of the advantages of the invention may be realized by various modifications.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a face View showing the decorated side. Fig. 2 is a face view showing the side to be written on, and Fig. 3 is a face view of a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

A is a tablet of good slate, of suitable size and thickness for hanging upon awall or otherwise supporting for convenient marking.

B isa frame, of wood or other suitable material, inclosing the tablet A. O is a cord or ribbon by which it may be suspended to a nail or knob, D. One face, a, of the tablet A has the natural grain of the slate as it is split from the quarry. This face is decorated by painting or otherwise and gives a fine artistic effect. The other face, a is ground for allowing marks with a slate-pencil to be applied and removed in the ordinary manner. The frame B is thinly coated with glue or varnish, upon which is applied a covering of plush, b. The ribbon G is secured to the frame B by tacks 0, having round, plated, or otherwise decorated heads.

Eis a loop or pocket, of ribbon, applied, as shown,on the upper edgcportion of the frame.

F is a ribbon securing a pencil, G, and of sufficient length to allow the pencil to be used in writing on the undecorated side a. When the pencil is not in use,it may be thrust in the pocket E. The ribbon F may be an extension of the looped ribbon E. I have so represented it. The groove in the inner edge of the frame B is made sufficiently wide to allow the raw edges of the plush b to be turned inward and glued in this groove after the parts are put together.

My decorated slate is adapted to serve as an ornament, or as both an ornament anda slate for marking. In the former case it should be hung with its decorated face a outward. It may be used as a slate for marking by simply turning it around.

Modifications may be made. The face a of the slate may be ground before decorating. The frame B may be decorated otherwise than by covering with plush.

Some of the advantages of my invention may be attained with both faces of the tablet A decorated, and without the pencil or its attaching means.

I claim as my invention 1. As a new article of manufacture, a tablet of slate having one face undressed or artificially roughened and suitably ornamented,

and the other side dressed for the reception of pencihmarks, as specified.

2. Asa new article of manufacture, a tablet of slate having one side left in its natural or undressed state to form the background of a device or picture in oil, and the other side dressed and finished to form a writing-surface, as herein specified.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a record-tablet having one side dressed to receive the marks of a pencil, andthe other side left in its natural or undressed "condition and ornamented by a picture or other design in oil or other colors, as specified.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a record-tablet of slate having the natural grain exposed on one side to form the ground of an ornamental picture, and the other side dressed and finished for the reception of pencil-marks, substantially as specified.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a record-tablet composed of asheet of slate having one side in its natural condition, so as to eX- pose the grain, the said side being ornamented by a picture or device in oil, and the other side dressed and finished for the reception of pencil-marks, the said side forming the record-face of the tablet, the sheet-being surrounded by a suitable ornamental frame, sub: stantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I my hand, at New York city, this 7th day of August, 1885, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELI O.. CARTER. WVitnesses:

H. A. JOHNSTONE,

MAINENE ELLIsoN. 

